Governor



P. x. RICE GOVERNOR May 15, 1928.

atto: u u,

Patented May l5, 1928..

4UNETED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

PHILIP X. RIGE, F DANVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 THE MILLER TRAIN CONTROL CORPORATION, 0F STAUNTON, VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

GOVERNOR'.

Application lefl August 2, 1924. Serial No. 729,823.

This invention relates to governors, and more particularly to a governor consisting of a rotating casing adapted to' contain a body of liquid and having one or more dcpending contacts adapted to complete a circuit through the body of liquid, the casing being provided with lifting means whereby a portion of the body of liquid will be raised from the bottom of the casing, depending lo upon the speed at which the casing rotates.

Broadly, the invention consists in a speed governor whereby an electric circuit may be opened or closed by the lifting action of a rotating casing on a body of liquid arranged therein. While the invention is capable ot being used in many ways, it is particularly adapted for use in connection with train control systems :torv the purpose of preventing a re-setcircuit from being closed after a stop signal, until the speed of the train is decreased to a desired point and for preventing the train from running above a certain predetermined speed.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown several embodiments of the invention. In this showing:

Figline 1 is a front elevation of the casing, parts being shown in section,

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view showing a plurality of depending contacts arranged therein,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View substantially on line 3 3 ot Figure 2, y

Figure 4 is a central vertical sectional View of another form of the invention, and,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 4:.

tetex-ring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the governor consists ot' a substantially'cylindiical casing having an outer wall 1 and side walls 2. rithin the casing, there is provided a plurality of buckets or pockets 3. As shown, these pockets are provided with inner walls 4, extending from one of the side walls to a point spaced from the other side wall, providing passages 5 between the pockets and the interior of the casing. A plurality of depending contacts 6, 7, and 8 are adapted to be arranged within the casing, each of the contacts terminating at a different distance from the bottom of the casing than the remainder.

The casing may be driven in any suitable manner from a moving part of the vehicle. As shown, the contact members extend through a stationary sleeve or tube 9 and a tubular member 10 is secured to the casing and is adapted to revolve therewith. Suitable roller bearings 11 are mounted between the revolving tubular member andthe stationary tube. rated from each other by a ring 12, and retained in position by a nut 13. A. gear 14 is arranged on the revolving tubular member and is adapted to be driven from any suitable source of power (not shown).

In the form oi the invention shown in Figures si. and 5 ot the drawings, I employ a casing 15 substantially similar in construction to the casing shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings. This casing is adapted to be mounted on the. axle 16 of the locomotive truck. A disk 17 is arranged within the casing, the disk being of smaller diameter than the casing and being arranged concentric therewith. As shown, the periphery of the disk is beveled, as at 18. A shaft 19 extends outwardly from the disk and this shaft and the disk are insulated from the casing b suitable insulating material 20. rlhe sha t is ,provided with a groove 2l and ball bearings 22 are arranged between this groove and a stationary outer race 23. las shown, a suitable lead wire 24 is connected to the stationary member.

In this form of the invention, the casing is provided with substantially semi-circular depressions Q5 on its inner wall, which form buckets or pockets to lift the mercury or other liquid from the bottom ot the casing. As shown, a body of liquid Q6 is arranged within the casing.

The operation of the device is as follows:

As the casing revolves, the liquid arranged therein enters the pockets at the bottom ot the casing and is lifted upwardly. As the speed of rotation increases, the amount of liquid lifted will be increased and the amount of liquid returned by gravit from the upper portion of the casing will e substantially the same so that the liquid level in the bottom of the casing will be decreased. The device may be employed as a speed governor by arranging a suitable stop circuit in connection with one or more of the contacts 8 so that the circuit will be broken when the liquid level falls below the contact. When employed on a train, stop mechanism in connection with a re-set circuit, the contact 6 is adapted to be barely immersed in These bearings may be sepalcomplete the liquid when the vehicle is at a state of rest and it is thus necessary for the vehicle to come to a complete stop after vreceiving l before the re-set circuit can be By employing a plurality of contacts, as shown, the speed of a train may be governed within any desired limits and the intermediate contact may be employed to prevent the train from traveling beyond a certain speed when a caution signal has been received and the lowermost Contact 8 employed to prevent the train fromA traveling beyond a desired maximum speed at any time.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, the operation is essentially the same. This device is, however, particularly adapted for use in connection with a re-set circuit of a train control system to ermit the train to travel at a slow rate o speed after receiving a stop signal Without coming to a state of rest. After the disk is spaced from the casing at a proper distance, it may be arranged so a stop sign that a circuit will be maintained through the apparatus at a speed of 20 miles per hour or less. By .connecting the wire 24 in the reset circuit, it will be possible for the engineer to close the re-set circuit through a manually operated switch, after receiving a stop signal at any time when the speed of the train is below 20 miles per hour. If, after receiving a. stop signal, the engineer attempts to run over 20 milesan hour, the re-set circuitv will be broken and the train control mechanism will functionregardless of whether the operator closes the manually operated switch.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a governor, rotating casing, pockets arranged in said casing, a body of liquid arrangedi'n said casing and adapted to be lifted by said pockets and to flow by gravity to the bottom of said casing whereby the amount of liquid in the bottom of the casing will be (proportionate to the speed of rotation, an a contact arranged in said casing and spaced from the bottom thereof.

2. In a governor, a rotating casing, a disk mounted in said casing concentric .therewith and insulated therefrom', said casrecarsi ing being adapted to contain a body of liquid, and means for lifting the liquid from the bottom of the casing pro ortional to the speed of rotation whereby t e lower bottom of the casing whence it returns byv gravity whereby the amount of liquid in the bottom of the casing will be proportionate to the speed of rotation.

4. In a governor, a substantially cylindrical casing, a disk concentrically mounted in said casing, a shaft extending from said disk, means for insulating said disk and said shaft from said casing, a stationary race surrounding the end of said shaft, said casing being adapted to contain a body of liquid, and means f or lifting the liquid from the bottom of the casing proportional to the speed of rotation whereby the lower edge of said disk will be submerged at certain speeds and above the body of liquid at other speeds.

5. In a governor, a substantially cylindrical casing, pockets arranged in said cas ing, a body of liquid arranged in said casing and adapted to be lifted by said pockets upon rotation of said casing and to How by gravity to the bottom of said casing whereby the amount of liquid in the bottom of the casing will be proportionate to the speed of rotation, a disk concentrically mounted in said casing, a shaft extending from said disk, means for insulating said disk and said shaft from said casing, and a stationary race surrounding the end of said shaft.

6. In a governor, a rotating casing, means within said casing for lifting liquid, a body of liquid which is a conductor of electricity arranged in said casing and adapted to be lifted by said lifting means and to flow by gravity to the bottom of said casing whereby the amount of liquid in the bottom of the casing will be proportionate to the speed of rotation, and a contact arranged in said casing and spaced from the bottom thereof and normally extending into said body of liquid. t In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signaure.

PLIP X. RICE. 

